Artificial leg.



J. T. APGAR. A

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

d APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1908. 909,859.

' Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. T. APGAR.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 5, 190s.

909,859., Patented .ma 19, 1909.

3 SHBBTS-SHEET 2.

`J.T.APGAR;

ARTIFICIAL LEG. APPLIUATION FILED MAE.5,198.

909,859. i Patented Jan. 19, 1909,

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JOHN fr. Arona, or NEW YORK, u. v.l

An'rmc'rnn LEG.

Specicetion of Letters Patent.

Patented Jau. 19, 1909.

minnaar and mma 5, 1ere. senin. mais.

le all whom i may comer-a:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. Annan., a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan, county and State ol Neuf York, have invented cerltain new and useful improvements in Articial Legs, o which the following 1s a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to an 'improved construction in ythe manufacture of artificial Sine of the chief advanta es that an articial leg can present is li,D tness combined with strength and every ounce taken from am maghi @i an minerai ieg mais u its yalue.

To produce a leg, having the above named attributes, l have designed an upper or socket member, of a leg, and a lower 'leg member which can he formed ont of comparatively thin material such as leather, rawhide, or u1@ like, and here together Vto form the proper sha e-without .the aid of rivets or metallic we t-strips, at `the seams thereof. To further aid in the construction of a light artificial leg, I have designed an ankle portion made from rawhide and having a se arably connected metallic wear plate on t e bottom thereof.

Other advantages will hereinafter ap ear, sach for instance as a pneumatic cu ioning device in lieu of knee-cords, and a wood reinforced knee-portion of special construction.

To these and other ends, which will hereinafter appear, my invention com rises the novel features of improvement an y arrangement and combination of parts which l will now proceed to describe and nally claim, reference beine had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 illustrates a side View of my im proved artificial leg; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof, certain parts hei v shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is an enlarge detail top plan J View of the knee portion of my invention, the section being taken on a line a-a in Fi .-12; Fig. l is an enlarged detail side elevation of the Wear late of the ankle portion of my improved evice; Fig. 5 is a top plan View thereof; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail top plan view of the ankle portion of my device; Fig. 7 is a cross section thereof, taken on a line o-b in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View, showing the 'manner ol forming the seam of the lower leg member; Fig; 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail View of the leg member, lookin from the rear 1n F 1g. 2, the section being ta en on 'a line c-c in Fig. 2, only 'a portion of the upper socket in elnher being shown; Fig. 10 is a sectional vlevv, on a reduced scale, and shows another form of cushionin' device for the upper socket member; an Fig. 11 isv an enlarged top plan ctionalview of the spring taken on a line d--d in Fig. 1G.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to Fig. 2, it will bessen, by those skilled in the art, that my improved upper or socket section 1 is quite different, in construction, rom those ordinarily used. It will be seen, in Fig. 2, that the surface of the knee-portion 2 is a continuity of the surface above the said knee-portion; in other Words, the Whole outer surface of the upper section l is a continuous surface. l'fVlnle this feature may or may not be necessary it is the result of my improved construction. The section l is built up as follows: I take a wooden block and form it as indicated by 3 (Fig. 2), that is to say I round it, as at 4, and gouge it out as at 5, leaving a bridge piece 6 through `which I bore an opening 7.

, At about an angle of 45"4 I bore an openin v8, which communicates with a slot 9, the sai slot 9 intercepting the opening 8, asshown in Fig. 3. I then take a sheet of leather, for instance, and secure it to the flange 10 of the knee-block 3, by riveting or otherwise, the said sheet having first been molded to the proper shape as indicated by 11,over a plaster cast, the said cast having been made to conform to the shape of the stump ofthe amputated leg. The socket 11 1s buttjointed, as at 1l, and may be cemented at said joint, I then take a sheet of raw-hide 12, soften it by soaking 'in Water, and apply it to the outer surface of the socket 1l. VThe covering 12 is cemented, or sewcd to the entire outer surface of the socket 11 and wood knee-block 3. After the rawhide covering 12 has dried, it securely binds the socket 11 and knee block 3 firmly together. The joints of the said covering 12 may abut. In the above described manner I am able to make a light durable upper or socket section of an artificial leg. The surface of the covering 12 can-be varnishecl or otherwise ornamentel. rlhe knee-block 3 not only serves to reinforce the rawhide and leather at the knee-portion of the upper socket 1, but it but also acts as a strengthening strip due to also acts as an anchorage for the pivot-pin 14, for the lower leg section r6. The'said pivot pin 14 passes through the opening 7 in the knee-block 3.

In order to make an exceedingly light lower leg member, but yet' one that will be strong enough to stand the strain put upon it, I form the said lower leg member out of rawhide. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the lower leg member 16 is made from a sheet of rawhide formed by molding or otherwise, to the proper shape. Before .shaping the sheet of rawhide I bend the ends, which eventually form the securing seam, to form a plurality of folds 17 (see Fig. 8).` After having formed the said folds 17 I shape the rawhide, bringing tlie folds 17 together to form a seam 18 (Fig. 8). I then preferably stitch the said seam 1 8. Owing to the folds 17 the seam 18 not only acts as a securing element the thickness of the lower leg member at the said seam 18. In the above described mant ner I obviate the necessity of a metal strengthening stripv at the seam of the lower leg member, such a metal strip being usually employed.

To still further carry out one of the objects of my invention, I provide a hollowy ankle portion 19, which is preferably formed out of rawhide. The ankle portion 19 is molded or otherwise formed to the proper shape, but differs from other ankle portions in that the bottom thereof is closed.

By forming the ankle portion in this manner, and attaching it to the lower leg` member 16, as indicated by 20, Figs. 1 and 2, by stitching or otherwise, a very strong structure is provided, also avery light structure. To adapt my improved ankle portion 19 for connection tothe foot 21, which is provided with a cushion 22, also to still further strengthen the bottom 23 of the ankle portion 19, I secure to the said bottom 23 a wear-plate 24 which is provided with openings 25, which aline with openings in the bottom 23 of the anklel portion 19. By means of the bolts 26 and nuts thereon, which are carried by the journal-piece 27, the wear-plate 24, journal-piece 27 and the ankle portion 19 are securely held together. The journal piece 27 carries the-usual bolt l28 which secures the .foot 21 and ankle-piece 19 together, as shown in Fig. 2. The wearment of the 'upper socket'member`1during the action of walking. As a matter of fact, the knee-cords take a considerable part of the weight of the body, when walking, and com municate movement to the lower leg member 16, whereby the said lower leg is caused to swing on the foot 21. One of the objections to the knee-cords is that they stretch and cause the leg members to move too freely, and another objection is that they' break, thereby rendering the leg useless. Vhen in the best condition, the knee-cords check the forward movementof the upper socket member 1 too suddenlyl and jar the wearer. I

eye 35 at the outer end thereof. A rod 36,

which is supported by the wall of the lower leg 16, passes through the eye 35. The piston f34 is loosely mounted on the bar"36 whereby lthe said piston 33 is free to swing, and accommodate itself tothe movement of the upper socket section 1. As has been stated,

the cylinder 32 passes over the piston 33l the said cylinder being actua-ted up or down in the following `mannerz The pivot pin or bolt 14, the function of which has been described, passes through the eye 37 of a bolt 38. In the socket 8 of the knee-block 3 and surrounding the bolt/,38, I place a rubber bumper 39. The bumper 39 aids to break .the shock of checking the' forward move-` ment of the upper socket member 1. The

outer end of the bolt 38 carries an eye 40, which is screwed onto the end of the bolt 38 and against the bumper 39, a washer 41 being interposed. 'Io the eye 40 I pivotally secure a fork 42, (see Fig.` 9) the said fork being provided with a splndle 43 which in this instance is threaded right handed. One end of a turnbuckle 44 engages the threads of the spindle 43. The opposite end of the turnbuckle 44 engages the left hand threads of a spindle 45 carried by a yoke 46. The lower end of the yoke 46 is pivotally connected to the cylinder 32 as at 47. The construction of the piston 33`may be one of themany well-known forms adapted to form an air tight contact with the wall of the cylinder 32. In a sitting posture,the upper sectior 1 will assume a position substantially at a; rightangle to the lowerleg member 1. When the upper section 1 is moving backwardly, to the sitting position, the cylinder I 32 will be forced .`downwardly,xand as the said cylinder is open at the top thereof there will be no cushioning effect to resist the backward movei'nent ofthe upper section 1.

To change from a sitting position to a standing position, the upper ocket portion 1 will move upwardly, thereliulling the cylinder 32 upwardly. As the cylinder 32 travels upwardly kfrom the sitting to the standing position, there will be a compressionof the air in the cylinder 32, but the compression will not be enough to annoy the wearer of the leg. 'hen the upper member 1 reaches a vertical position, as shown inl Fig. 2, the compression of the air 'in the cylinder 32 will commence to be evi` dent. As the wearer of an artificial leg takes. a. step forward with the right leg, supposing the artificial leg to be the left, the upper section 1.. will move forward as will also the lower .lcv member 16. The forward movement of e lower le section is dependent upon the movement o the upper section', and the movement ofthe upper section is transmitted to the lower leg member through the air cushion in the chamber 48. A peculiar condition existing in an artificial leg, is that the lower leg member tends to move backwardly after having been moved slightly forward by the commencement of thelforward movement of the upper socket member. The pivotal connection at the knee-portion of the leg is responsible for this action. If' this opposite movement ofthe upper socket member and lower le@ member can be accomplished with ease an yet to a somewhat limited extent the wearer of the leg derives very much benefit therefrom. Thevfact, that the lower leg member Vcannot go-backwardly, in the usual artificial leg, at the proper time, due to the nonresilient knee-cords, tends to tire the wearer. The pneumatic cushion employed in my improved artificial leg permits of the aforesaid opposite movement, for the reason that when the lower leg member tends to move backwardly and the upper socket is moving forwardly the cylinder 32 will move-upwardly,

thereby increasing the tension of the air cushion. The increasing of the tension of the air cushion will be gradual, and not abrupt.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a spring 49, which at its lower end is attached to a rod carried by the wall of the lower leg member 16. The action of the spring will be the same as the air cushion hereinbefore described. The spindle 51 carried by the turnbuckle 52 has a sliding connection with the eye 53 of the spring 49 in order that the spring will offer no resistance to the upper socket section, when said upper socket moves backward to the sitting position. The spindle 51 carries a button 54 which impinges the end of the spring as soon as the upper section assumes a vertical position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pah ent is:`

1. In an artificial leg, a hollow rawhide ankle portion, a wear plate carried by said ankle portion at the lower end thereof, and a journal piece carried by said wear plate.

2. An artificial leg-member, composed of rawhide, molded to form a hollow structure, said structure having a securing seam, said seam composing a plurality of folds of raw hide, adadpted to form a strengthening strip.

3. In an artificial leg, a lower leg member comprising a rawhide structure having a securing seam, a rawhide strengthening strip therefor, a hollow rawhide ankle portion having a closed botto1n,`\and a journal piece carried by the closed bottom of said ankle portion.

4. An artificial leg member, comprising a rawhide structure, the said rawhide structure having a seam reinforced by rawhide.

Signed at New Yok, N. Y., this 4 day of March 1908.

JOHN T. APGAR. Witnesses EDWARD A. J AKVIS, M1LDRED VmLLs. 

